Ghana not food secured – Farmer groups to Afriyie Akoto

The claim by Agriculture Minister-designate that Ghana has attained food security has been debunked by farmer groups in the country.

The former Agric Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto who is seeking approval to retain the job told the Appointment of Committee of Parliament during his vetting last Friday that the country has been food sufficient and secured as a result of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative taken by the Akufo-Addo administration.

Reacting to the comment, the General Secretary of the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) Edward Kareweh said the former Minister’s claim is not factual.

“Ghana is not food secured. It’s only the rich who can afford the food,” he told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr.

He also challenged the claim that the agric sector has created two million jobs over the last four years.

“The minister said he’s created over 2 million jobs. I want to ask him that those who’ve benefited from the jobs, can they afford food morning, afternoon, and evening with the income they’re getting?”

Also commenting on the minister-designate’s claim, Programme Officer, for Peasant Farmers Association said Ghana needs to do more to attain food security.

“I don’t agree with the minister that there’s enough food on the market. I don’t agree with that assertion. For me, if we want to be food secured, we need to do more. Around this time, if there’s food shortage, what’s going to happen when we get to May?”